boyutpedia Chapter 211 Gourd Valley Ambush
Chapter 211 Gourd Valley Ambush
Kawashima's squad cautiously advanced towards the Eighth Route Army base, fully aware of the dangers of this mission. They stepped lightly, fearing a single misstep would trigger a deadly trap like the Gutian squad. Their eyes scanned their surroundings warily, their nerves tense.
Finally, they spotted a dejected and exhausted Furuta Saburo near a ruined wall. Captain Kawashima quickly approached him, saluted him respectfully, and then quickly and clearly relayed the Japanese battalion commander's orders: "Mr. Furuta, the battalion commander has ordered us to quickly remove the wounded for medical treatment and to leave you to handle the aftermath of the fallen. This is a strict order from the battalion commander, please obey." Furuta Saburo's expression darkened, but he could only nod helplessly.
Immediately, the members of Kawashima's squad quickly dispersed to search for and rescue the wounded. They carefully lifted those lying groaning in pain onto stretchers, fearing to aggravate their injuries. Some wounds were still bleeding, and the Japanese medical staff quickly bandaged them with simple bandages they had brought with them. After each wounded person was carried away, they would glance back to check their surroundings, alert to any danger that might arise.
After frantically rescuing several wounded, Captain Kawashima rechecked the headcount, ensuring that no injured soldier was left behind. He then directed his men to lift stretchers and prepare to evacuate the dangerous area quickly, bringing the wounded back to camp for treatment. Furuta Saburo watched them depart, sighed deeply, and turned to face the daunting task of disposing of the bodies of the fallen soldiers, his heart filled with bitterness and helplessness.
Meanwhile, a company commander from the Eighth Route Army's special forces battalion, while conducting reconnaissance, astutely discovered that a Japanese supply convoy was more than 20 kilometers behind the main force. This presented a golden opportunity, and he quickly reported it to his battalion commander. With his approval, he led a reinforced company and, with the agility of a cheetah, set up an ambush in Hulu Valley, the route the Japanese supply convoy had to take.
Upon arriving at Hulu Valley, the company commander and his men immediately deployed their forces in an orderly fashion. Drawing on their extensive experience, the blasting team quickly selected suitable terrain to plant mines and controlled explosives. They strategically placed explosive devices at the valley entrance, along narrow sections of the road, and in areas where the Japanese might take shelter. They also carefully arranged the fuses, ensuring they could deliver a fatal blow to the Japanese at the critical moment while also ensuring their own safety.
The other soldiers sought advantageous firing positions on the slopes on either side. They hid behind boulders and trees, their rifles trained on the valley's mouth, their eyes fixed on the road below, weapons gripped tightly, ready for action at any moment. The valley was filled with the tense, pre-battle silence, broken only by the rustling of the grass in the breeze.
Not long after, a Japanese supply convoy slowly entered Hulu Valley. Driving their carts laden with supplies, they hummed a tune, oblivious to the approaching danger. Once the Japanese troops were fully encircled by the ambush, the company commander decisively gave the order to attack. Instantly, gunfire erupted, and bullets rained down upon the Japanese. Meanwhile, the soldiers of the demolition team, following the company commander's instructions, precisely detonated the pre-placed mines and bombs. With each resounding explosion, the Japanese troops were toppled and thrown to the ground, their men and horses thrown into chaos, each seeking cover.
The Eighth Route Army soldiers, commanding the enemy from a high position and occupying advantageous terrain, left the Japanese defenseless. Some soldiers specifically aimed their weapons at the Japanese horses, causing them to bolt in panic, further disrupting the Japanese formation. Others hurled grenades at the Japanese supply wagons, which exploded with a few loud explosions, shattering the wagons and scattering the supplies.
The Japanese squad leader frantically waved his command knife, attempting to organize a counterattack, but was quickly killed by an Eighth Route Army sniper. Without a leader, the Japanese troops panicked and began to flee in all directions. The Eighth Route Army soldiers seized the opportunity to charge and engage in close combat. Their bayonets gleamed coldly in the sunlight as they stabbed the Japanese soldiers to the ground one by one.
After a fierce battle, the Japanese supply convoy was nearly annihilated. The Eighth Route Army soldiers quickly cleaned up the battlefield and moved the captured supplies to a hidden location. They quickly evacuated Hulu Valley and disappeared into the vast mountains and forests, looking for an opportunity to strike at the Japanese's remaining forces.
Two hours after the Eighth Route Army's reinforced company succeeded in an ambush and evacuated with supplies, the Japanese battalion commander discovered that their baggage supply team had exceeded the rendezvous time. He had a bad feeling in his heart, so he asked Lieutenant Jiu Jinggangshan of the Japanese Army and two guards to drive a sidecar to urge them to speed up.
A sidecar sped along the dirt road, raising a cloud of dust. Jiu Jinggangshan's face was grim, a faint sense of unease building within him, and he kept urging the guards to speed up. As they reached the entrance of Hulu Valley, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood aroused his alarm. He signaled the guard driver to stop, then dismounted, drawing his Type 14 Nambu pistol from his holster. He and two guards formed a skirmish formation, using the jungle undergrowth for cover, and advanced into Hulu Valley.
They advanced cautiously, their eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, not missing any corners that might harbor danger. The valley was a shambles, the bodies of the Japanese supply team soldiers lying scattered on the ground, supplies strewn everywhere, and smoke rising from the wreckage of the bombed-out carriages. The lieutenant's face darkened, knowing that the supply team had undoubtedly been attacked.
He cautiously approached a corpse, squatted down, and examined the wounds, finding them to be from gunshot wounds and explosions. He concluded that the body might have been ambushed by the Eighth Route Army. At that moment, a guard nearby called out, "Lieutenant, there are some footprints here. They seem to be heading deeper into the valley." Jiu Jinggangshan immediately stood up and walked over to investigate. The footprints were disorganized, making it difficult to discern the number of people or their direction, but they generally pointed toward the other side of the valley.
They continued searching the valley, hoping to find some clues to determine what had happened to the baggage train and the whereabouts of the attackers. Suddenly, a guard accidentally triggered a hidden mine beneath a destroyed carriage. With a resounding boom, the guard was blown away, killed instantly. Jiu Jinggangshan and another guard were also thrown to the ground by the force of the blast, suffering varying degrees of injuries. The lieutenant, fighting the pain, climbed to his feet. He looked upon the devastating scene, filled with anger and helplessness. He knew his situation was extremely dangerous and needed to find a way to leave as soon as possible and report the situation to the captain. He and the remaining guard supported each other as they carefully retreated toward the valley entrance, preparing to return to their troops to report the tragic news.
When Murakami Kagezoe received the report from the returning Sakaegangshan that the supply team had been ambushed, all the Imperial warriors had been killed, and all the supplies had been looted, he was furious and slammed his teacup to the ground, not caring that the tea had splattered the map. "Bage Yalu!" he roared, his eyes wide as if they were about to burst into flames.
After calming down briefly, Murakami Kagezoe immediately called a meeting of his squad leaders to plan his revenge. At the meeting, his eyes bloodshot as he glared fiercely at everyone, he issued a brutal order: At one in the morning, a cleansing operation was to be launched against the surrounding villages, ensuring the whereabouts of the Eighth Route Army. Simultaneously, an indiscriminate attack was to be launched against all villages within ten kilometers to the west, in memory of the spirits of the imperial warriors who had perished in "Hulu Valley"...